I had though that I don’t ride much but after reading a few comments on here I think in fact I don’t ride very frequently but do longer rides. This got me wondering as to what your normal rides are and what you classed as short, medium and long rides.
I ride mainly at the weekend and do a 25-40 mile ride in 2.5-5 hours (depending on weather and Uni) on a Saturday finishing at mid day so I can then take the family out and do things with them, and may sneak a 12 mile road ride in on Sunday.
For me I class ride lengths as follows
12 miles as a Short ride
20-25 as an average ride
30-45 as a long ride
>45 an epic planned all day affair
The longer rides will tend to be a flatter route but up to 25 miles or so I will be climbing pretty steep hills (actively choosing those routes to build up my strength)
Sorry that wasn’t a direct distance to time comparison, I normally average 6- 8mph depending on the hills on my 29er the jury is out on what I do on the 36er
So I have no idea on a “normal” distance as I come from 20 years of XC MTB I was doing 40 mile rides on a single speed bike and came to Unicycling for a challenge as that was too easy. I normally run out of time on my Uni rides rather than energy, although the 36er is beating me up a bit more on the hills so that is a good work out.
After 10 miles I feel buzzing and my legs feel warmed up and at peak efficiency, at 20-25 miles I hit a bit of wall but if I push through that I get a second wind and I can ride to 40 miles without any issue. My secret is a Jelly Baby or two every 15 minutes works a treat
I have my eye on a 72 mile xc route if I can secure sign off from the wife to be out for 10 hours (I have done an 8 hour ride before) one of my goals for the year is 100 mile road ride now I have the 36er
I may not be the strongest rider but I am bloody suborn (will ride to vomiting) and have good endurance I love pushing my body distance wise
HMMMM, I’m thinking muni123struck a nerve with the 27hr figure.:D:D:D
I try to ride an hour in the mornings before work and 2-4 on one of the weekend days. Not really distance for me, more trying to learn the same obsticles over and over so I can make a long trip one day with less effort.
Screw that North of London is full of dragons and stuff
Seriously though booked marked as a possible future ride, I am looking to go to the Alps or something in Europe this year to get some solid back to back day rides in beautiful scenery (and some big old climbs)
lol it cut me deep p I did think crap don’t I ride or something
I do have days where I will do a short 16 miler and then go home and grab the 24" and hit the beach to jump the rocks and do 4+ foot drops and stuff to mix it up.
I leave at 6-7am so I get all my riding in early doors in the time people waste sleeping so I have most of the day with the family, nothing like coming back from 40 miles and having to shower then take the family to town, play in the park, cook dinner, bath and bed the kids and THEN sit down and rest
I am nursing some infected cysts in my crouch (because you wanted to know) from a nasty saddle sore I got from bad cycle shorts with all these miles which makes it even more comfy, lucky I dig pain (New shorts and the Anti-Biotics I am on should clear it up)
Luckily I have a Uni riding buddy who also loves the miles and does it all with me.
I don’t measure rides in miles, I measure them in hours. We spent six hours in Rockville Hills Park last week, and probably covered about 3 miles. And I’ve done 20 mile rides in 2 hours. The 3 mile ride was a lot more strenuous.
A typical XC MUni ride seems to be in the 20-30 mile range, with some good climbs, moderate terrain with a few tech sections. I like to make every ride an adventure, not just trying to see how fast I can get it over with. As they say, half the fun is the journey. But on average a ride like this takes me about 2-4 hours, especially of I’m stopping to film.
Same here, so much is terrain dependent, to go strictly on miles would not tell much.
I ride for ~ one hour twice weekly after work during the Winter, longer during the Fall/Spring/Summer. On the weekends I ride at least once, often twice, these rides are longer, typically 3-4 hours unless I’m doing an epic.
My limiting factor is my back. If I overdo it, then I can’t ride well for a week or so afterwards, so I’m taking it cool for now.
Got some epic multi day rides coming up this Summer, no solid plans yet
My rides tend to be hard, single track, no roads, as much tech stuff as I can get, and being too tired to do anything else is my goal. I know it’s been a good ride when my younger Aussie is tired
Like Tom, it often makes more sense to measure a ride in hours, since MUni can have so much variation in terrain. Rockville, for instance, is not about getting from A to B, it’s about trying to ride gnarly sections, playing in the rock garden, etc. That small park contains an amazing amount of strenuous riding!
Some trails are long and easy (and flat), while others are steep and difficult. To measure them only in miles is to not do them justice.
I envy you guys who ride 30+ mile rides. Most of mine are 10-15 with a 20 miler every once in a while. Usually climbing something or picking my way through boulders…
I have done a 30 mile easy terrain (paved bike path) ride before but it was unusual and the seat was raw for couple days with blister. I think I could train more and travel further but that is not my goal. I average 7 miles all offroad every other day when job or weather or lack of light of day don’t get in the way. Weekends I go both days. I prefer a rugged terrain that I can roll without stopping most of the time with a few areas of challenge to keep me humble.
works a treat
p I did think crap don’t I ride or something 
so I have most of the day with the family, nothing like coming back from 40 miles and having to shower then take the family to town, play in the park, cook dinner, bath and bed the kids and THEN sit down and rest